Wisdom Tree (14 page)

Jake paused mid-bite. “He wrote that?”

Carin handed him the bag. “Uh-huh. Direct quote.”

“Hmm…the little rat.” Jake settled into the bleacher beside her and scanned the field below. Corey was passing a football to a teammate during a pre-game drill. “I think maybe it’s time to keep a journal of my own.”

“I encourage the writing process in just about any capacity.” Carin sipped water. “The pen is mightier than the sword, and all that.”

“Yeah, well my pen is an entire army, and I’ll slay anyone who tries to get his grubby hands on my peanut butter cups.”

“I won’t touch them.” Carin laughed. “I promise. I’ll stick to my popcorn.”

“You’re exempted from the rule.” Jake offered her the bag. “I’ll share with you.”

“That’s nice, because I like them, too.” She took a cup. “May I ask you a question, Jake?”

“Ask away.”

“Hailey wants me to help her teach the middle-grades Sunday school class, and we thought we’d encourage the kids to help with the memory garden, too…like I mentioned to you.”

“That’s not a question.”

“I know. But what do you think…about me?”

“I think you’re lovely.” He grazed her chin with his knuckle.

“No. I mean, what do you think about me
here
.” She pressed her palm to her chest. “In my heart?”

“I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking.”

“Let me rephrase.” She wiggled closer to him and reached into the candy bag for another piece of chocolate. “Were you nervous the first time you got up in front of a church to speak?”

“Oh, I was scared to death.” Jake remembered the Sunday clearly. As he’d approached the pulpit, he felt as if a million pairs of eyes swept over him. His heart took off at sprint-speed, and he thought, for a fleeting moment, that he might fall flat on his face. “East Ridge Church presented a tough crowd. Some of the older parishioners felt I was too young to lead a church, and they didn’t hesitate to make their views known. I felt like I was under a microscope for a while, and it was so hard. Mr. Staley and his wife took me under their wing and made me feel welcome. Mrs. Staley was still alive then and very active in the church.”

“What was she like?”

“She had a beautiful spirit. She didn’t let everyday frustrations get her down. She had a stronger faith than anyone I’ve ever known.”

“That’s what everyone says.”

“The cancer claimed her so fast we barely had time to fathom it. Mr. Staley took her passing pretty hard. We thought we’d lose him, too, but God has a way of providing the strength and desire for a person to take one more step even when he’s convinced he can’t.”

“I believe that.”

“After my parents died, most of the older folks began to accept me. It was a rite of passage, I suppose, to lose my mom and dad. It presented a measure of maturity I couldn’t turn my back on.”

“You hardly had a choice.”

“You should help Hailey teach the class, Carin.” Jake nodded. “You have a lot to offer our kids.”

“But I’m not sure…I don’t know.” She shook her head. “My faith isn’t very strong, to say the least.”

“That’s even more reason, then. I’m sure you understand that sometimes teaching others teaches us as well.”

“That’s true. You’re right, Jake.”

“Now, I have something to ask you—a favor.”

“If you want me to mow the church lawn for you, you can forget it.”

“No.” Jake laughed. “The mower’s retired for another season.”

“Then what kind of favor do you need?”

“A chaperone.”

“What kind of chaperone?”

“For the amusement park. Patrick and Julie and I are taking the youth group next Saturday, and we can use another set of eyes. It would give you a chance to get to know the kids, too, before you start to help Hailey with the class.”

“You mean you want me to spend the day riding roller coasters and the Ferris wheel with a bunch of screaming teenagers?”

“Well, I was hoping I might talk you into riding the Ferris wheel with
me
, but you have the general idea.”

“OK, I’ll go if you promise not to rock the wheel’s seat while we’re stopped at the top.”

“If you ride with me, I promise to be a complete gentleman.” His tone teased.

“Are you crossing your fingers behind your back?”

“No. I wouldn’t do that…at least as far as you know.”

“OK, I’ll go. But you’d better not scream like a girl flying down those humongous hills on the coasters.”

“Like a girl? Oh, you wound me.” Jake splayed a palm across his chest.

“Corey told me you don’t much like heights…or roller coasters.”

“The little rat. What else has he told you about me?”

“Oh, he’s just a fount of information.”

“I’ll bet. You shouldn’t believe half of what he writes.”

“Even so, that still leaves plenty.”

“That does it. Tonight he’s getting a plate of lima beans for dinner and absolutely no dessert—no dessert at all.”

12

“Let’s hit Thunder River first.” Corey wove his way through the crowd toward the hulking steel coaster. “There’s not much of a line.”

“I don’t know…” Jake gazed up at the massive and unforgiving twists and turns of the track. Shrieks drifted on the breeze like confetti, and the wheels roared against winding metal. “It’s the biggest ride in the park. Maybe we should work our way up to it, warm up a little first.”

“What, and give you a chance to chicken out? Forget that idea.” Corey clutched Jake’s arm. “It’s more fun this way. You gotta plunge right in—enjoy the full effect.”

“It’s that effect I’m worried about.” Jake cringed. “I’m just being…cautious.”

“Well, you can be cautious from thirty stories up. Just close your eyes and remember to breathe so you don’t hyperventilate.”

“Great. Thanks for the visualization. I feel so much better now.”

“Come on.” Carin grinned at Jake. “I’ll ride with you and hold your hand.”

“Well, I can’t pass up an offer like that.”

“Oh, look.” Corey pointed toward the tracks. “The bottom of the coaster drops out when you get to the top of the first massive hill, just before you fall, so your legs dangle free. All that’s keeping you from hurtling into space is the shoulder harness. That’s so cool!”

Jake blanched. “If this ride breaks down while we’re on it and we get stuck upside down in one of those inverted loops, none of you is ever going to hear the end of it.”

“Get real, Jake.” Corey rolled his eyes. “It’s not going to break down. They do safety checks, you know. You’re gonna love it.”

“Like a root canal.”

****

“Let’s take a break.” Jake said much later, as they wound their way through a dwindling crowd. “How about some ice cream?” He turned to Carin, grinning wearily. “What do you like, Miss Mario…as in Andretti?”

She loved speed—he’d learned that pretty quickly. First seat, last seat, or somewhere in the middle—it didn’t matter as long as the coaster flew over the tracks at death-defying speeds. And the array of loops and swirls made the ride even better. Even so, she’d taken pity on Jake and called for the bumper cars when it was her turn to choose a ride.

“Hmm…” Carin peered through the glass display case at the colorful tubs of ice cream. “All those dips and turns
did
make me awfully hungry.” She tapped the glass. “A double-scoop strawberry cheesecake swirl ought to put a dent in things.”

“Strawberry cheesecake swirl, coming up.” Jake ordered two, and then left the kids to place their orders while he and Carin settled at a table out on the veranda.

“I’m surprised you can eat that.” Carin watched Jake bite into his cone. “You look like you’re just beginning to recover from the most horrendous case of the flu.”

Jake paused mid-bite and grimaced. “That bad, huh?”

“Yeah. White as a sheet doesn’t begin to cover it.” She nibbled a bite of strawberry. “Why did you come here today if you don’t like the rides so much? There had to be someone else from the church that would have chaperoned in your place.”

“I came because Corey loves the rides, and he loves coming to places like this. I figure, he puts up with a lot of pretty boring stuff because of me, so the least I can do is suffer through a few rides…toss my lunch a few times…lose my voice hollering like a girl—”

“You haven’t hollered even once.”

“I know.” He tugged the collar of his T-shirt. “And the restraint is killing me.”

Carin laughed. “You’re an amazing brother, Jake.”

“I just take one small step at a time, count to ten a lot.”

“Yeah, those teenage years can really do a person in.”

“No kidding. I’m developing the gray hair to prove it.”

“I don’t see any gray hair.”

“Look closer.” He pulled her toward him, fought the urge to kiss her. The pastor in him said it was wrong…in front of so many kids. But the man in him searched for an excuse to devour her.

“What are you doing?” Corey fell into a chair at their table, breaking the mood. “You have something in your hair, Jake?”

So much for snatching a kiss.
Jake sighed. “Yeah, a whole lot of gray.” He finished the last bite of his cone and stood. “I can see our little siesta has come to an abrupt end. It’s getting dark. Why don’t we head over to the Ferris wheel?”

“Sounds great.” Carin gathered her fanny pack. “Something a bit slower paced is just what the doctor ordered after that ice cream.”

“Yeah, if you’re middle-aged.” Corey groaned.

“Who are you calling middle-aged?” Jake thumped Corey on the back. “Nobody here is even close to middle-aged—not yet, anyway. It’s my turn to choose a ride, and I choose the wheel.”

“OK. I don’t need a lecture.” Corey wiggled from his touch.

“Then get walking—double-time.”

The group rounded a corner to see the Ferris wheel soar. Lights illuminated each spoke of the wheel, outlining it against a star-studded, velvet sky. The seats were open, and feet dangled from above as the wheel spun.

“It doesn’t look so wimpy at night,” Corey commented. “OK, I guess it’ll be fun to ride.”

“Glad I have your stamp of approval.” Jake took Carin’s hand. “Pair up.”

The line was short, so they chose partners and piled into seats.

“Look.” Jake nudged Carin’s shoulder and pointed to the seat below. “Corey and Amy are riding together. And Dillon and Carla. We’ll have to keep our eyes on them.”

“It doesn’t mean anything, really.” Carin slipped into a seat and scooted over to make room for Jake. “It’s just very uncool for two guys to ride the Ferris wheel together, so they’re riding with the girls. That’s all.”

“Is that your excuse for riding with me?”

“Would you rather have Patrick ride shotgun?”

“I don’t think Julie would like that.”

Carin grinned as they went into motion. “Remember your promise not to rock the seat.”

“What promise?” Jake winked and gave the seat a gentle nudge. “I don’t remember any promise.”

“Jake!”

“Just kidding. You’re safe with me.”

The wheel paused with their seat at the top, affording an amazing view of the park below. Illuminated rides glimmered in the darkness like a sea of colorful stars.

“Did we really ride that coaster?” Jake watched the cars speed through an inverted loop, glittering in the blanket of darkness. Faint squeals and laughter whispered across the breeze.

“Yes, we did.” Carin massaged her knuckles. “And I have the bruised hand to prove it.”

“I’m sorry.” Jake twined his fingers with hers to stroke bruises away with the pad of his thumb. “I didn’t mean to squeeze so tight.”

“It’s OK. We shouldn’t have made you ride so many coasters. I guess that wasn’t a very nice thing to do.”

“If I had a journal, I’d document my angst.” He lifted his free hand, as if scrawling across the darkness. “But now that it’s over, I’m glad I rode them all. It’s a better fate than spending the next month taking jabs from the kids.”

“They can be brutal, can’t they? Some days I feel like pulling my hair out and trading teaching for a greeter job at the local home improvement store.” Carin tugged a curl, grimacing. “But I sure missed teaching while I was away from it.”

“While you helped your dad?”

“Yes. I really missed teaching.”

“Yeah, the cafeteria food…spit balls flying across the classroom…parents complaining…kids passing notes—um, I mean sonnets.”

“I could say the same about you, Preacher Man. Mowing the lawn in the scalding heat of summer…emergency phone calls in the middle of the night…sermons, sermons, and more sermons…kids hiding the sanctuary flowers so the altar is bare when the service begins…need I say more?”

“I guess we both have our moments.”

“Yes, we do. But I wouldn’t trade it, and I gather you wouldn’t, either.” The breeze tangled Carin’s hair, and she brushed a curl from her face and leaned against Jake, pressing her cheek to his arm. “Thank you, Jake.”

“For what?”

“For asking me to come today.”

“You’ve had fun?”

“Yes. Definitely. I don’t want the day to end.”

“I don’t, either.” Jake shifted in the seat, drawing her close. “Would you mind…if I stole a kiss?”

She tilted her head, offering her lips. “I thought you’d never ask.”

****

“Thanks for driving me home,” Carin said as Jake pulled up to the house. “But you should just let me out here at the road. It’s late, and you’ll be tired for church in the morning.”

“Never too late to walk you to the door.” He turned into the drive and switched off the ignition. The driver’s door popped as he pulled the latch. “Wait there. I’ll come around.”

“It was nice of Patrick and Julie to take Corey home with them again.” Carin slipped from the seat as he opened the passenger door. The night air made her shiver, and Jake eased an arm around her shoulders as they made their way up the walk.

“Yeah. It was the perfect ending to a great day for the boys—getting to hang out together tonight, too.”

“I’ll bet they won’t sleep a wink.”

“Probably not.”

She gathered the seam of her windbreaker and glanced toward the house. She gasped when she saw a light in the living room window. “Jake, wait.” She pointed. “Look.”